Terry won't leave Chelsea in January

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte says captain John Terry will not leave the club during the January transfer window.

Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe made a tentative inquiry to sign the 36-year-old, who is out of contract at Stamford Bridge this summer and has yet to be offered a new deal by the Premier League leaders.

However, Conte says Terry, who is suspended for the trip to Leicester City on Sunday following his FA Cup red card against Peterborough last weekend, has shown no interest in a move to the South Coast club.

"John never talked to me about this situation and it means he is very happy to stay here and, above all, I am very happy John stays here and helps me," the Italian said.

“John is an important player for me – if he plays or doesn’t play – because he’s a really important man in the changing room."

Conte recalled Nathan Ake from his loan spell at Bournemouth last week, a decision which prompted Howe's interest in Terry, while fellow centre-half Kurt Zouma is fit again after an 11-month lay-off following a knee injury.

Cesar Azpilicueta, David Luiz and Gary Cahill are Conte's first-choice back three, so Terry is realistically the sixth-choice centre-back at Chelsea, but the former Azzurri boss insists he still has an important role to play during the second half of the season.

"This squad needs him. He’s a great player but also a great man and for me it’s fantastic to have a person like him to help me in my first season at Chelsea," he continued.

"I repeat, John stays with us. He is our player, he is in my squad."

Conte, who won three successive Serie A titles with Juventus before taking over as Italy boss in 2014, expects Terry to move into management when he finally calls time on his playing career.

"When he decides to finish his career, he could have a good prospect to start a new career as a manager," he said.

"He is clever and really good at understanding situations. But [only] when he is finished. For now, leave him to play."

Photo: ©Getty Images/Shaun Botterill

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